Banner support construction



March 26, 1963 H. w. BOWER 3,

BANNER SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION Filed July 21, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR.

Hon/420 PV. BOWEQ ATTOE'IVE Y.

March 26, 1963 H. w. BOWER 3,082,989

BANNER SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION Filed July 21, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 2' ji32' N f" iW/W t? x. 90

INVENTOR.

Aron/pep m BOM/E'E firroelvsy.

L921: L a/I Mallch 1963 H. w. BOVNER 3,082,989

BANNER SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION Filed July 21, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR.

firm V420 PK BOWER Unite States Patent 3,082,989 BANNER SUPIGRTCONSTRUCTION Howard W. Bower, Los Angeles, Calif. (5422 Katherine Ave.,Van Nnys, Calif.) Filed July 21, 1961, Ser. No. 125,802 1 Claim. (Cl.248-286) The present invention relates to banner support constructions,and more particularly to a banner support con struction adapted formounting on a building canopy.

Banner support constructions are well-known in the prior art. However,such constructions have often been quite complicated in design, andusually have required the use of stands, poles, posts, or other similarmeans for the support thereof. Furthermore, the banner supportconstructions heretofore known have proved especially inadequate for usewith banners made of cloth. A cloth banner, when maintained outdoors,tends to flop in the wind with serious results. As a consequence of suchflopping in the wind, the banner may become displaced from its desiredposition. Also, it may become distorted in shape. Furthermore, it may betorn by the Wind. Even if these aforementioned consequences do notoccur, the banner is likely to wear out very quickly, and perhaps in asshort a period as a month.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved bannersupport construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a banner supportconstruction of comparatively simple design.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a banner supportconstruction not requiring the use therewith of supporting means such asa pole.

Another object of the invention is to provide a banner supportconstruction adapted to be placed on the canopy of a building.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a banner supportconstruction which will provide adequate support for a cloth banner hungoutdoors and in the wind.

Another object of the invention is to provide a banner supportingconstruction which a cloth banner may be hung without flopping due towind.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a banner supportconstruction which will maintain a cloth banner hung thereon in apredetermined desired position, even in the face of strong winds.

Another object of the invention is to provide a banner supportconstruction which will prevent distortion in shape of a banner hungthereon, as a result of flopping in the wind.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a banner supportconstruction which will aid in preventing tearing of cloth banners hungthereon, as a result of flopping in the Wind.

Another object of the invention is to provide a banner supportconstruction, the use of which assures longer life of a banner hungthereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a banner supportconstruction utilizing spring means for maintaining taut a bannersupported thereby.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description thereof, read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a banner supported by two bracketmembers of the invention mounted on a canopy;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of one of the bracket members ofFIG. 1, a portion of the canopy also being shown;

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged vertical section taken along the lines 3-3of FIG. 2, and being partly broken away;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged horizontal section taken along the lines4-4 of FIG. 2, and being partly broken away;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken along the lines 55 of FIG.1;

FIG. 6 is a further enlarged vertical section taken along the lines 66of FIG. 2, being partly broken away and shown in two alternativeoperative position-s;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section taken along the lines 77 of FIG. 6, andbeing partly broken away;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal section taken along the lines 88 of FIG. 7, andbeing partly broken away;

FIG. 9 is a front elevation, being partly broken away, of a bannersupported in a modified manner by the bracket arms of the invention, aportion of a canopy on which the banner is mounted also being shown;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of a modified bannersupport construction in accordance with the invention, being shownmounted on a canopy and with a banner in position;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of the modificationof FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view in perspective of one of the pairs ofbracket arms of FIGS. 10 11.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, a cloth banner'13 is shown, secured at its opposite side edges 14 and 15 to twosubstantially identical bracket members 16 and 17, respectively, each ofthe bracket members 16 and 17 being mounted on a vertical surfaceportion 18 of a canopy 19 of a building (not shown) such as a gasolineservice station. The banner 13 may bear any desired lettering or designthereon, and may, e.g., be 12 feet long and 18 inches high.

The bracket member 16 may be constructed of metal, or of a suitableplastic material, and includes a pair of bracket arms 20 and 22,suspended from a bracket body 23 (see also FIG. 2). The body 23 is ofchannel shape, and includes a rear vertically extending web portion, orwall 24 having two horizontally spaced bores 26 and 28 therethrough, thelatter being adapted to receive screws 30 and 32, respectively, or othersimilar means for mounting the bracket member 16 on the canopy surface18. It will be understood that additional bores and screws or othermounting means may be employed for the purpose.

The body 23 further includes two vertical side walls 34 and 36 forwardlyextending in substantially parallel opposed relation with respect to oneanother from the front surface 38 of the wall 2.4. The side walls 34 and36 are substantially perpendicular to the wall 24, and positioned at theside edges 40 and 4-2 of the latter, respectively. Two substantiallycoaxial bores 44 and 46 extend through the walls 34 and 3 6,respectively, adjacent the lower ends of the latter, and are providedwith two reinforcement liner members 48 and 5t} (see also FIG. 4),respectively. Each of the latter is preferably of plastic and has acylindrical portion 52 adapted for press-fit insertion through therespective bore 44 or 46, and an outer comparatively fiat cylindricalhead 54- adapted for abutment with the respective vertical side wall 34or 36.

The rear wall 24 is provided with abutment means including twocurvilinear forwardly-extending tongues 56 and 58, cut out from thematerial of said wall 24, and having outer ends 60 and 62 positionedadjacent the bores 44 and 46, respectively. Also included in saidabutment means, and being cut out from the rear Wall 24 andforwardly-extending therefrom is a third tongue 64, which, however, iscomparatively straight, and is positioned approximately midway betweenthe tongues 56 and 58. As most clearly seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the loweredge 66 of the tongue 64 is on a level slightly in conventional manner.

3 higher than the upper edges 63 and 76 of the tongues 56 and 58,respectively. It will also be noted that the outer end portion 72 of thetongue 64 is approximately the same distance from the surface 38 as arethe bores 44 and 46.

The bracket arms and 22 are interconnected at their respective inner orlower ends 74 and 76, and are preferably of integral construction asshown. The arm 20 is substantially vertical, and is formed with a substantially right-angled bend to provide a substantiallyhorizontally-extending outer or upper end portion 78 which is looselyinserted through the liner member 48 associated with the bore 44, andextends for some distance horizontally across the body 23, so as to lieadjacent its distal end 81) a short distance below the lower edge 66' ofthe tongue 64. The arm 22 extends angularly upward from the lower end 74of the arm 26, and is provided with a generally 8-, or hook-shaped upperend portion 82, inserted through the member Sil associated with the bore46. The hooleshaped upper end portion 82 of the arm 22 includes asubstantially horizontally-extending short central segment 84 whichnormally extends loosely through the member 511, and a distal segment 86curving upward from said segments-'1, and serving to maintain theportion 84 within the member 56 and in association with the side wall36.

A substantially horizontally-extending pin 88, preferabiy of the samematerial as the remainder of the bracket 16, extends between the bracketarms 29 and 22, being welded to the surfaces of the latter adjacenttheir respective lower ends 74 and 76. A second pin 90, similar to thepin 88 and likewise generally horizontal is secured only to the arm 29,and is located a short distance below the upper end portion 78 thereof.

As most clearly seen in FIG. 1, the banner 13 at its side edge 14 issecured to the bracket 16 by means of a length of cord 92 tied to therespective lower ends 74 and 76 of the bracket arms 29 and 22 beneaththe pin 88, said cord 92 being integral with the banner 13 and generallyin alignment with the lower edge 94 of the latter. The banner 13 issimilarly secured to the pin 90 by means of a length of cord 96 which isgenerally aligned with the upper edge 98 of said banner 13 and integralwith the latter.

As previously indicated, the bracket member 17 is substantiallyidentical in construction with the bracket member 16, and the formerincludes a body 100 mounted on the vertical surface 18 of the canopy 19in horizontal alignment with the body 23 of the bracket member 16. Thearms 102 and 104 of the bracket member 17, however, are positionedreversely to the corresponding arms 20 and 22 of the bracket member 16.Here again,

2 lengths of cord 106 and 108, corresponding respectively to the cordlengths 92 and 96', secure the banner 13 at its side edge 15 to thebracket member 17. The bracket members 16 and 17 thus serve to hold thebanner 13 taut.

As a further aid in holding the banner 13 taut, tightening means in theform'of two identical pairs 110 and 112 of cooperating eye screws andgrommets are employed for securing the banner 13 to the canopy surface18 at points intermediate the bracket members 16 and 17. Referring toFIG. 5, it will be seen that the tightening means 110 includes an eyescrew 114 screwed into the canopy 19 at the surface 18, and a grommet116 adapted for securing to a conventional eyelet 117 (see also FIG. 1)adjacent the upper edge 98 of the banner 13. The grommet 116 is tied tothe eye 118 of the eye screw 114 by means of a twin loop of Venetiancord 128, It will be realized that any number, e.g., three or more,tightening means such as shown at 110 and 112 may be employed ifdesired, depending primarily on the length of the banner 13.

During ordinary operation of the banner support construction shown inFIGS. 1-4, the banner 13 is held taut by means of the cords 92, 96 and106, 108 which secure said banner 13 to the bracket members 16 and 17,respectively; and also by the tightening means 1'10, 112. As a result ofthe loose fit between the bracket arm upper end portion 78 and linermember 48, and between the segment 84 and liner member 50, the bracketarms 20 and 22 are rotatably suspended from the body 23 of the bracketmember 16. The bracket arms 102 and 104 are similarly rotatablysuspended from the body 100 of the bracket member 17. It will thus beclear that the pairs of bracket arms 26, 22 and 162, 104 lie inpositions of generally parallel placement with respect to the web 24,and the web of the body 109, respectively, and are free to swing backand forth together with the banner 13, the connection between the cord120 and the eye 118 of the screw 1-14 of each tightening means 116, 112likewise permitting such swinging. As a c0nsequence, the banner 13 willswing in the wind, while being maintained taut. Flopping in the windwill thus be prevented; danger of tearing of the banner is practicallyeliminated; and the length of the life of the banner 13 substantiallyincreased.

If it be desired that the banner 13 be held out of the way in a raised,substantially-horizontal position, this may be accomplished by shiftingthe bracket arms 29, 22 and 102, 164 into positions now to be described.Referring to FIG. 6, the bracket arm 22 is shown in its normal position,and also in a raised position indicated at 22', the bracket arm 20having a similar raised position shown at 20 (see also FIGS. 7 and 8).When the arms 20 and '22 are in their respective raised'positions 20and22, they lie generally perpendicular to the web 24, and may be locked insuch raised positions by flexing the arms 20' and 22 manually or bysuitable mechanical means, so as to bring their respective upper endportions 78 and 82 into the positions 78 and 82, respectively (shownmost clearly in FIGS. 7 and 8). When in such positions, it will be seenthat the distal end of the upper end portion 78 of the bracket arm 20'becomes wedged beneath the tongue 64, and in contact with theundersurface 66 thereof. At the same time, the distal end 86' of theupper end portion 82' of the bracket arm 22 becomes wedged beneath thetongue 70. The bracket arms 102 and 10-4 of the bracket member 17 maysimultaneously be moved into a similar raised and locked position, so asto properly support the banner 13 in such raised position.

It will be apparent that the bracket members 16 and 17 may be reversedin position on the canopy surface 18, with the pairs of arms 20, 22 and102, 104 then each being reversed with respect to the correspondingsupporting bracket body 23 or 100. In other words, each of the bracketbodies 23 and may be mounted at either the right or the left end of thecanopy surface 18.

Referring to FIG. 9, a modified form of the invention is shown, in whicha banner 13" similar to the banner 13 is supported at its opposite sides(only one side being shown) by two identical pairs of bracket arms 122(only one pair being shown). It will be noted that the one pair ofbracket arms 122 shown is made up of two arms 20" and 2 which aresimilar in structure to the bracket arms 26 and 22 of FIGS. 1-8,respectively. The bracket arms 29-" and 22", however, are employedwithout use of a bracket body, and instead are suspended from ahorizontally-extending canopy surface 122 by means of several eye screws124 (two being shown) screwed into said surface 122. A length ofVenetian cord or other similar material 126 is wound about therespective upper end portions 78" and 82" of the bracket arms 20" and 2and is secured at one end 128 to one of the eye screws 124. It will benoted that the upper end portion 78 is provided with a hooked outer end127 for maintaining the cord 126 in the position shown. The cord 1 26passes through any desired number of eye screws 124 located intermediatethe two pairs of bracket arms 122, and serves to support the other pairof bracket arms 122 (not shown) in the same manner as previouslydescribed, being secured at its end (not shown) opposite the end 123 toan eye screw 124. Rods 88" and 90", corresponding to the rods 88 and9110f FIGS. 1-8, respectively, are provided, for securing the banner 13"to each pair of bracket members 122, employing cord 92" and 96 in thesame manner as described hereinabove in connection with FIGS. 1-8.

It will thus be apparent that the bracket arms 20 and 22 of the presentinvention are not only reversible in their position when suspended froma bracket body 23 or 100 such as shown in FIGS. 1-8, but can be usedapart from the latter as shown in FIG. 9.

Referring to FIGS. -12, a further modified form of the invention isshown. Here, a cloth banner 13 which is similar to the banners 13 and13", but larger in size than either of the latter, is supported forswinging movement by two bracket members 16 and 17 also of comparativelylarge size. The bracket members 16 and 17 include bracket bodies 23 andMW identical in structure to the corresponding bracket bodies 23 and101) of the embodiment. of the invention of FIGS. 1-8. The

, bracket members 16* and 17 provide two pairs of bracket arms 20 22 and102 104 respectively. The bracket arms 20* and 102 are substantiallyvertical, and are interconnected respectively at their inner or lowerends 4 with the bracket arms 22* and 104 extending angularly upwardtherefrom. Each of the arms 29% and 104 is provided at its upper endwith a horizontally extending upper or outer end portion 78*, the latterprojecting in the direction of the respectively associated vertical arm2!? or 102*, and having an outer threaded end 80* positioned adjacentthe latter. Each of the vertical arms 20* and 102 is provided at itsupper end with an eye 8%, wh ch fits over the threaded outer end 80 ofthe associated horizontal arm portion 78*. Two nuts 84 and se arecarried by each of the threaded ends 80*, at opposi e sides of therespectively associated eye 82*, and serve to lock the latter inposition.

Secured to each of the arms 22 and 104 by any suitable means such as,for example, welding, and adjacent the upper end thereof is a ring 1341.Associated with each of the bracket members 16 and 17 is a tensionspring 132, which is hooked at its outer end 134 to the respective ring130, and at its inner end 136 to the tongue 58 of the respective bracketbody 23 or 100*, as most clearly shown in FIG. 11. The inner end 136 ofthe spring 132 may alternatively be hooked to the bracket body 23 byemploying a bore (not shown) through the rear Wall 24* thereof, whichbore is adapted to receive said end 136. Such bore would preferably belocated adjacent the tongue 58 The banner 13 is secured at its sides tothe arms 20 and 1G2 by means of two pole sleeves 16-8 and 140,- respectively, the latter being of conventional design.

In the operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 10-12, it will be apparentthat the springs 132 serve to draw the sets of bracket arms 20 22 and102 104 apart, and consequently to maintain taut the banner 13*. At thesame time, the two pairs of bracket arms 20 22 and 102 104 are free toswing back and forth together with the banner 13 with the two horizontalarm portions 78 serving as pivot rods. Here again, flopping in the windwill be prevented; tearing of the banner 13 avoided; and the life of thelatter substantially lengthened.

It will be obvious that in the case of any of the banners 13, 13" or 13suspension thereof may be effected in accordance with the inventionbetween two posts if desired; or from any other suitable support means.

Although the invention has been described with reference to particularembodiments thereof, it will be understood that various changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A support construction, comprising in combination a bracket body and abracket member, said bracket member providing first and second bracketarms, said second bracket arm extending angularly with respect to saidfirst bracket arm, said first and second bracket arms having respectiveinner ends interconnected together and respective spaced-apart outer endportions, said outer end portion of said first bracket arm forming asubstantially right-angled bend and extending generally toward saidsecond bracket arm, said outer end portion of said second bracket armbeing generally S-shaped and including a central segment extendinggenerally toward said first bracket arm, said S-shaped portion includinga distal segment extending generally transversely of said centralsegment, said bracket body being of channel shape and providing a webportion adapted to be mounted on a vertical surface, said bracket bodyproviding two substantially parallel walls located at opposite sideedges of said web portion, respectively, said walls projectingsubstantially perpendicularly from said web, said walls being formedwith two coaxial bores, respectively, said outer end portion of saidfirst bracket arm and said central segment of said s-shaped portionrotatably extending through said two bores, respectively, said distalsegment of said S-shaped end portion being positioned intermediate saidtwo walls, and abutment means projecting from said web and intermediatesaid walls, said bracket arms being pivotable between two positions ofparallel and perpendicular placement with respect to said web,respectively, said abutment means and said outer end portions beingadapted for interengagement when said bracket arms are in said positionof perpendicular placement and for prevention of pivoting of saidbracket arms into said position of parallel placement, whereby when saidbracket body is mounted on a vertical surface, said bracket arms arepivotable between two positions of substantially vertical andsubstantially horizontal placement, respectively, and said bracket armsmay be locked in said position of horizontal placement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS974,615 Vonderahe Nov. 1, 1910 1,821,722 Neal Sept. 1, 1931 2,070,408Leidgen Feb. 9, 1937 2,802,577 Moore Aug. 13, 1957 2,877,971 GoldsteinMar. 17, 1959 2,926,878 Taschner Mar. 1, 1960

